MST3K 613 - The Sinister Urge
The Short Keeping Clean and Neat (1956) Synopsis A typical 1950's social education short for children on how to remain clean and neat, how to dress, and how to use strange shoeboxes. Information *This short was included on Shorts Vol 2, released by Rhino Entertainment on VHS in October 1999, and on DVD as part of The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Volume 3, a 4-DVD set with The Sidehackers, The Unearthly and The Atomic Brain. The Movie Synopsis Someone is killing young women in the park. Police suspect it's related to the smut picture racket and begin leaning on Gloria Henderson (Fontaine), a smut frontwoman for the Mob. Her right-hand man Johnny Ryde continues to procure young women with stars in their eyes to submit to their heinous celluloid activities.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055452/plotsummary Information *There are posters for three other films by director Edward D. Wood Jr. in Johnny Ride's office: Jail Bait (1954), Bride of the Monster (1955), and The Violent Years (1956). *Ed Wood and Conrad Brooks are the brawling "teenagers" fighting over porn in front of the restaurant. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055452/trivia The footage used is from an unfinished Wood film Rock and Roll Hell. *This film actually made money upon its release. Unfortunately, Ed had sold the rights to the film for about $500 and missed out on receiving any residuals. *It seems very strange that someone who had such a non-traditional life, and such an eclectic circle of friends as Ed Wood did, could hold such a narrow opinion of pornography as evidenced in this movie. It would not be at all surprising if either: 1) the movie was a sardonic comment on the Puritanical views held about sexuality in the 1950's, or 2) Ed Wood wanted to make a picture about the porn industry (possibly something along the lines of Boogie Nights), but the script had to be drastically rewritten, in order to get the picture made. *This was the final "legit" film that Ed Wood had any role in. Following The Sinister Urge, he made several soft-core and hard-core pornographic movies, including Orgy of the Dead, Necromania ''and ''The Young Marrieds. *Johnny Ryde's line "You can't keep selling the same old stuff to the same old crowd forever" was used as an intro to performances of "Numb" during U2's ZooTV tour (it can be heard at the beginning of the track on the Dublin concert bootleg). *Viewers may recognize actor Harvey B. Dunn (who briefly appears here as the man complaining about how the police are wasting their time with girlie pictures) from his roles in both Teenagers from Outer Space and Bride of the Monster. *Hard rock musician Rob Zombie used the film's title for his second solo album. The Episode Host Segments Prologue: Mike and the Bots give Gypsy a gift giving shower, because that's what they believe all women get. And apparently they believe that all women want pinking shears. Segment One: The shower is just so lovely and darling, while down in Deep 13 Dr. F begins to worry about Frank, who has been missing for several days. Searching for clues, Frank's movie choices are slightly concerning, and his gift to Gypsy of pinking shears includes a card threatening to blow up Deep 13. Segment Two: Frank gives the SOL a taste of what he’s planning, having sent a bomb up the Umbilicus. Frank gloats and reveals he's tied up Dr. F as he prepares to blow up Deep 13. Mike and Bots are initally amused by Forrester's cry for help, until they realize no more Mads means no way down. It's up to them to save him. Segment Three: Everyone checks Frank’s background for clues, while Crow tries his contact on the streets, Huggy Bear! Well, a''' Huggy Bear, but neither he nor Rooster provide any aid, leading to Tom and Crow fighting over who's a better cop. '''Segment Four: Things look bleak as the Bots cycle through more cop-show cliches, until Gypsy causes Mike to remember Frank's weakness: Potato Cakes. Calling down to a dynamite covered Dr. F, Mike convinces him of his plan and Frank seems to have no problem with Dr Forrester stepping out. Segment Five: Frank calls up to the Satellite of Love to gloat over Dr. F's imminent demise, until Mike cuts him off by asking to speak to Dr. Forrester to talk him through how to use the potato cakes to defeat Frank and disarm the bombs. Mike and the Bots are now free to read a letter, before we return to Deep 13 to see Dr. F's revenge, Deep Fried Frank! Stinger: “Dirk? No that can’t be Dirk ...nuh-uh ...no ...that’s not Dirk ...no,” says Gloria. Obscure References *''"There you are Don, back in bed this morning." "Now, a giant cockroach"'' An allusion to Franz Kafka's novella The Metamorphosis. *''"It's Jet Jaguar!" "Hey, it is! How would YOU know?"'' Jet Jaguar is a reference to the goofy smiling robot in Godzilla vs. Megalon. Crow's confused reaction is due to the fact that Mike Nelson was yet not aboard the S.O.L. for that experiment - Joel was. *''"Smut?! I'll show you SMUT!"'' A very obscure M*A*S*H reference snarled by Hawkeye Pierce when accused of reading "smut" to a Korean child (who didn't understand English.) His utterance is barely heard over the ranting between the entire MASH cast. *''"Mad dog! Eh-heh, eh-heh!"'' Crow is imitating Pee-wee Herman in Pee-wee's Big Adventure. *''"Don Was? The producer?"'' Don Was is a prolific music producer. *''"Richard Diamond, Operator."'' A reference to the radio drama and TV series Richard Diamond, Private Detective. *''"It's 'Bizarre' with John Byner!"'' Bizarre was a sketch-comedy TV series from the 1980s. *''"Person to Person with Irving Klaw!"'' Person to Person was a popular TV talk show of the 1950s. Irving Klaw was an early bondage/fetish photographer, best known for his work with Bettie Page. *''"It's Hymie!"'' A reference to Hymie the robot from Get Smart. *''"A young Benazir Bhutto robs the malt shop!"'' Benazir Bhutto was the first female prime minister of Pakistan. *''"Let's watch 'Ghost Dad' again!"'' Ghost Dad was a 1990 movie starring Bill Cosby. *''"Fred Olen Ray, Sr.!"'' Fred Olen Ray is a director and producer of T&A-laden B-movies such as Bikini Cavegirl. *''"Ed Wood dresses as Marian McPartland and brings down the house!"'' Marian McPartland is a jazz pianist and the host of the National Public Radio show Piano Jazz. *''"There's a gay character in 'For Better or Worse'!"'' In 1993, the comic strip For Better or For Worse generated controversy when one of its characters came out as gay. *''"Oh, goodie! THIS guy!"'' Harvey B. Dunn was a regular character actor in Edward D. Wood films (including Bride of the Monster), as well as Teenagers from Outer Space. He is easily recognizable due to an amputated right index finger. *''"She must be one of Senator Packwood's aides."'' Senator Bob Packwood was forced to resign from the Senate in the wake of multiple sexual harassment charges against him. *''"Coming this fall on ABC, 'Get Courtney Love'"'' A reference to rock singer, and Kurt Cobain's widow, Courtney Love , and the TV movie "Get Christie Love !" *''"Quickly, into the TARDIS!"'' A reference the British science fiction TV series Doctor Who, about a humanoid alien who travels through time and space in a vehicle (the TARDIS) that has the outward appearance of a police phone box. *''"I don't like the direction The New Yorker is taking under Tina Brown."'' Tina Brown took over as editor of the venerable magazine The New Yorker in 1992, amid concerns that she would push the magazine in a more commercial direction. Video Release *Commercially released on DVD by Rhino Entertainment in May 2006 as part of The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Volume 9, a 4-DVD set with Women of the Prehistoric Planet, Wild Rebels, and The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies, the DVD was later pulled due to rights issues with Women of the Prehistoric Planet, which made Volume 9 out of print and very hard to find. *The DVD features a introduction with known Ed Wood contributor and actor Conrad Brooks, who played Connie in this movie, specifically taped for the release. Brooks discusses his work on the film as both an actor and a misguided turn as a stuntman. Category:MST3K Episodes Category:Season 6 Category:Episodes with shorts Category:Unrated movies Category:Episodes directed by Trace Beaulieu